Fire, Ice, And The Blade
by LilttleFreak
Summary: A two-faced opportunist suddenly finds herself completely loyal to an unprofessional pirate crew. Akane lived her life as she pleased, traveling almost aimlessly, until the day she was tied to a certain swordsman. One captain later, and she agrees to set sail with Luffy towards their common goal, the Grand Line. OC insert, sorry for those who don't like. ZoroxOC and LuffyxMeat
1. Tied to a Demon

**Fire, Ice, And The Blade  
****Ch. 1**

**Tied to a Demon**

I looked up from my plate just as the purple-clad man threw his glass at the woman behind the counter. "This wine is not worthy of me! Get me a better one! I'm Captain Morgan's son you know!"

'_That guy could make even the best food taste like shit…'_

A little girl with pigtails, the woman's daughter, walked up to him, clutching the edge of her dress. "We don't have anything better! Mommy doesn't have enough money-"

The man cut her off, looking down from his seat. "Are you contradicting me? You are nothing but trouble. The incident with Zoro was your fault too! I should have you executed for-"

I glared at the man's ass, willing it to catch fire. My devil fruit powers activated and a small flame appeared. The sudden burning cut him off mid-sentence, making him jump off his stool and howl in pain. He quickly patted it out, looking wildly around the room. "Who did this? Who dared to set Axe-hand Morgan's son on fire? I'll tell on you!"

I swallowed the last of my meat and narrowed my onyx eyes at him. "You are a pathetic excuse for a man. Hiding behind your father. I should've burned your entire body."

He pointed at me, raging. "You! You're the traitor! I'll have you both executed!"

I laughed, setting the berries for my meal on the table. "You talk like you could actually catch me! I think you either overestimate your marines or underestimate me."

He gritted his teeth, getting angrier by the second. "Alright, then I'll make you a deal. I arrested Roronoa Zoro not too long ago, and told him I'd set him free after a month. If you are willing to be tied to the same place he is until his sentence is over, I'll release you both and won't kill the girl. Deal?"

I chugged the last of my drink, slamming the empty glass on the table. "The pirate hunter, huh…? Deal. Let's go, I wanna get this over with."

I stood up and walked out, my open navy-blue coat swishing softly. The marines led me to the base, and then to the execution courtyard, where a man was already tied up. I could see was wearing a bandana, a white shirt, dark green pants and boots, and a bright green hamaki. Once I got closer, I could make out sea-foam green hair peeking out from the bandana, three earrings, and blood dripping down his face.

'_Well, there are worse things to be tied to.'_

The marines told me to remove all weapons at gunpoint, quaking in their boots because of the man. I chuckled and removed my mid-thigh-length coat, the red trims brushing the ground.

'_No way I'm telling them about my shoes, I don't want to be barefoot.'_

I glared at the marines as they took my coat, my mouth a thin line. "Damage this in any way, and I'll make sure you die choking on your entrails."

They nodded, their boot-quaking intensifying. I unfolded my turtleneck and pulled it up to cover my nose and mouth, nodding at them. "I'm all good. Tie me up!"

They moved me to the unoccupied side of the execution cross and started binding me to it, starting with untying one of Zoro's arms and putting mine in its place. I raised an eyebrow in question, but the marines put his over mine and re-tied it there. They set my other arm over his and fastened it as well, then bound our wrists to each other's.

'_I thought it was "tied in the same place" not "tied to"… So… I'm going to be in permanent contact with a rumored demon for who knows how long… Hm. Rather fun, if you ask me.'_

They wrapped the rough rope around my stomach, the material digging into my skin since my top only covered to 3 inches below my breasts. They had to wrap it around the other man as well, since they couldn't get the rope between him and the post. My legs were splayed out in front of me, forcing me to put all of my weight on my bare arms and the binding around my middle. They walked off quickly, eager to get out of here. I turned my head as far as I could, trying to get a good look at my companion. "So, you're Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter. Rumored vicious demon."

He grunted, turning his head towards mine. "What's it to ya?"

I tried to shrug, not succeeding in the least. "Well, since I'm going to be tied to you until your sentence is over and they set us both free, I'd like to know who I'm dealing with. What'd ya do to get sent here?"

He gritted his teeth, annoyed. "Killed that idiot son's pet wolf. I was protecting a little girl. What about you?"

I grinned widely behind my mask. "Set the idiot son's ass on fire to protect the same little girl."

He chuckled, a grin appearing on his face. "I would've liked to see that. Anyway, you know who I am, but I don't know who you are."

I chuckled too, shaking my head. "I _was _pretty fun. I'm Takuda Akane, call me Akane."

I grabbed one of his hands, which wasn't hard since our wrists were bound together, and shook it. "Nice to meet you."

He chuckled and shook it back, his hand covering most of mine. "Likewise. You can call me Zoro."

We let go and I stared up at the sky, slumping against the wooden structure. Some time passed in silence, until two voices could be heard from behind the wall. "Look at that person! Oh? There are two of them! Who'd you think the other one is?"

A thump, like someone falling. "What's wrong?"

"Th…Th… That bandana and cloth around his waist… And that intimidating aura…! It's Zoro…!"

"So he's Zoro, huh…? Looks to me those ropes are pretty easy to break."

"S…Stop joking! If you free him, he could make a mess in the town and even kill you!"

"No problem, I'm strong."

I jumped when Zoro spoke, his deep voice echoing. "Hey, you guys. You're bothering me… Get lost."

I turned my head towards the wall, looking over our arms. There was a cowering pinket and a brunet with a straw hat. The pink-haired kid freaked out and turned to his friends in panic. "Luffy-san, if you recruit a guy like him, it won't matter how many lives you have."

There was a small sound and another head popped up. The pink-haired boy leaned forward as the new kid jumped down. "That's dangerous! Luffy-san, please stop her! She'll be killed!"

The new kid turned out to be the little girl from the restaurant. I looked at her, a bit surprised. "Ah?! It's you!"

Zoro looked down at the smiling girl, his eyebrow going back down. "What?"

She held out a package, smiling even wider. "You must be hungry! I made you some rice balls!"

He frowned, staring at the food. "Do ya _wanna_ get killed, pipsqueak? Scram!"

She unwrapped it and held it out to him. "You haven't eaten anything this whole time. Here! This is my first time, but I worked really hard to make them!"

Zoro was surprised, but quickly recovered his scowl. "I ain't hungry! You're an eyesore! Get the hell outta here!"

She lowered them a bit, her smile slipping. "But…"

He leaned forward, shouting. "I don't want 'em! Don't make me kick your ass!"

The field gate opened, revealing the idiot son and two marines. "You shouldn't be bullying kids. Looks like you're still energetic, Roronoa Zoro. Enjoying the company?"

He walked over to us, swiping a rice ball from the girl. "Oh? Those are some tasty-looking rice balls."

He took a large bite, ignoring the girl's plea, and promptly spit it back out. "Too damn sweet! They're full of sugar! You're supposed to use salt for rice balls!"

The little girl looked sad, still holding the other one. "But I thought they might taste better sweet…"

The idiot son knocked it out of her hands and started stomping on it. "Take this! And this!"

The girl fell to her knees, tears welling up in her eyes. "And I worked so hard to make those…"

The annoying man pulled out a flyer from his purple and pink suit. "Did you not read this notice? Those who help criminals will be executed! Navy Captain Morgan."

The girl stared at the ground, shaking. The blond laughed and pointed at one of the marines. "Looks like even little brats know how scary my daddy is! You. Throw this kid out."

I gritted my teeth, glaring at the man. I would've burnt a hole through him if I didn't risk setting Zoro on fire too. The marine he had pointed to widened his eyes. "Sir?!"

The captain's son grabbed the front of his shirt. "I said throw her over the wall! Or can you not follow my orders? Don't make me tell my dad!"

The marine nodded, clearly scared. "Y-Yes, sir! Right away!"

He walked to the girl, whispering to her. "I-I'm sorry, little girl. Curl yourself into a ball."

I smiled grimly.

'_At least some people out there still have half a shred of decency.'_

He threw her over the wall, where the two boys were. My companion glared at the idiot son, gritting his teeth. "Damn you…"

He walked up to me, gabbing my cloth-covered chin. "And how are _you_ doing? I do feel bad for tying such a pretty girl to a grimy criminal. But you disrespected me, and I can't let that pass."

I gritted my teeth, answering in a sickly sweet voice. "I'm doing well. Mr. Roronoa is a excellent in conversation. And rather handsome, if I might add."

The idiot son let go, annoyed he couldn't get to me, and walked in front of Zoro, laughing. "You sure are stubborn about staying alive…"

The pirate hunter watched him stroll by, glaring. "Yeah! I _will_ live the full month! You better keep your promise!"

The man walked off, laughing again. "Hehehe! Oh, I'll keep my promise alright. If you can live like this for one whole month, I'll keep my words and release you! Good luck!"

I heard the straw-hat kid jump off the wall and turned. He stopped about halfway between the wall and us. "I hear you're a bad guy."

Zoro looked up. "Are you still here?"

The teen ignored his question, continuing to talk. "Being stuck out here for all to see… Are you really strong at all?!"

My companion growled angrily. "Mind your own business!"

He walked closer, pressing down on his hat. "If it were me, I'd probably starve to death in three days!"

Zoro grinned, looking at him. "I got more spirit than you. I _will _live through this… I swear it!"

Straw-hat grinned and turned to walk away. "What a strange person!"

The pirate hunter stopped him before he could take more than a step, looking at the rest of rice ball on the ground. "Wait! Could you… pick that up for me?"

The adolescent picked it up, inspecting the clumps. "You're gonna eat this? It's mostly a mud ball now."

Zoro shouted at the kid, opening his mouth wide. "Just shut up and give it here!"

The teen obeyed, tossing it in. Zoro chewed and swallowed, coughing. Straw-Hat crossed his arms, smiling. "Told you so."

Zoro paid no mind and spoke quietly "It was good. Thank for the food."

The teen smiled and walked off. I smiled too, the expression hidden by my mask. "You're a cool guy. Well, not literally, it's actually getting pretty hot out here."

He chuckled, shifting in his binds. "You have no idea. Just wait a few more hours, this courtyard feels like an oven."

I sighed, looking at the clouds. "Well, then it's a good thing I have built-in AC."

He turned his head towards me. "Huh? What'd ya mean?"

I grinned, turning my head as well. "I ate the Temperature-Temperature fruit, more commonly known as the Temp-Temp fruit. I can control how hot or cold something is, _which_ is how I set the bastard son's ass on fire."

He made a sound at the back of his throat. "So you could just burn the ropes off?"

I nodded, looking at the binds. "Mhm. But I'd burn you too."

He turned back, looking at the sky. "Tch. Sucks. I really don't want to waste my time here."

I nodded again, turning back to the clouds. "Me either. But I don't want anything to happen to that girl."

We both spaced out a while, coming back down to earth when the straw-hat kid reappeared. I turned my head, watching him from the corner of my eye. Zoro looked at him from under his bandana, shadows covering most of his face. "You again? You sure have a lot of free time."

The kid looked straight at him, his arms at his sides. "I'll untie you, so join my crew!"

Zoro raised his head. "Say what?!"

The straw-hat kid looked him, completely serious. "I'm looking for people to join my pirate crew."

My companion grinned, shaking his head. "Forget it! Me, stooping to a criminal's level?! Screw that!"

The would-be pirate put his fists on his hips, a curious on his face. "What's wrong with being a pirate?"

Zoro looked back at him, frowning. "Pirates are despicable! As if I'd want to be one!"

Straw-Hat smiled, lifting his head a bit. "Oh, come on! You're already known as an evil bounty hunter!"

Said bounty hunter shook his head again. "People can say whatever they want, but I haven't done anything I regret. I'm not going to start now!"

He grinned, a drop of sweat rolling down his face. "I _will_ live through this and accomplish what _I _want!"

The teen's smile dropped and he made a surprised sound. "Yeah? But I've decided you're gonna join me!"

Zoro leaned forward, shouting angrily. "Quit deciding on your own!"

The would-be pirate crossed his arms and turned. "I hear you use swords."

The bounty hunter quieted down, still leaning forward. "Hrm… I could use a sword if I wasn't tied up."

The teen raised an eyebrow, curious. "Where is it?"

My companion growled angrily. "That bastard kid took it. It's what I treasure the most… Other than my life!"

Straw-hat smiled casually "I'll go get it back for you!"

The swordsman straightened. "What?"

The would-be pirate's smile widened. "So if you want your sword, join my crew!"

Zoro leaned forward again, pulling on the rope around my middle and arms. "That's dirty! You're really getting on my nerves!"

I growled, bending a leg back to nudge his. "Stop that! You're hurting me."

He slumped back against the post and I turned to the other male. "Hey, straw-hat! The idiot son took my coat too. It's blackish-blue with red trimmings and a lot of daggers inside. Could ya bring it back?"

He looked at me, cocking his head to the side. "When'd you get here?"

I scowled at him. "I've been here the whole time! The marines tied me up this morning. You saw me earlier!"

He blinked, putting his hands on his hips. "Really? I don't remember seeing you…"

My scowl deepened. "I have vibrant red and blue hair, and I'm tied to the man you've been annoying. How could you not see me?!"

I sighed shaking my head. "Nevermind… Will you bring my coat back if you see it?"

He nodded, smiling again. "Yep! A coat and a sword. I'll be right back!"

He waved and ran off laughing. Zoro watched him go in disbelief. "Is he planning to bust into the base by himself?"

He blinked a few times, then yelled at the boy. "You idiot! The base is in the other direction!"

Straw-hat stopped, looking around. The swordsman sighed and slumped even lower. The teen suddenly shouted, making me look in his direction. "Gum-gum… Rocket!"

He then flew by us, going in the other direction. Zoro stared, wide-eyed. "W-Who the hell is that guy?!"

I blinked several times, my eyes just as wide as his. "More importantly, how did he fly by us?!"

The pink-haired boy from this morning jumped the wall after a few minutes, and ran towards us. He immediately started untying Zoro's right arm, which was on top of my left. "Please escape, Zoro-san."

'_What am I? Chopped liver?'_

Zoro looked down at him, frowning. "You'll be killed for doing that, you know."

The pinket ignored him. "I can't stand to watch the navy like this anymore. I want to be an honorable marine!"

The swordsman shook his head, looking a tad worried. "Stop! I _can't_ escape! I only have to last a month, then- "

The boy cut him off, still working on the knot. "You're going to be executed tomorrow!"

The bounty hunter's eyes went wide, then narrowed. "What?!"

The boy shook his head. "Helmeppo never once intended to honor your agreement! So Luffy-san got angry and punched him!"

Zoro looked at the horizon, disbelief in his voice. "He did?"

The pinket managed to loosen the rope a bit. "The navy is after Luffy-san now. I won't ask you to be a pirate. But please, help him! He's the only one who can save you. And I think you're also the only one who can save him now."

Several marines, including the famed captain, put a stop to the conversation. "End of the line. For the crime of treachery against me, I'll now execute you three where you stand!"

All of our eyes went wide with surprise and fear.

'_Sure, __now__ people acknowledge me.'_

All ten marines clicked the safety off of their guns. "This is some interesting stuff you guys've pulled! Were you three and that straw hat kid plannin' a coup or something?!"

Zoro looked at the captain, clearly angry. "I've always fought alone. Unlike arrogant bastards like you who use soldiers as cronies!"

Morgan, who was in fact standing behind the marines, lowed his axe. "Roronoa Zoro… Don't you dare underestimate me! You may be strong, but before my authority, you're as good as scum! Men! Ready! … Aim! … Fire!"

Shots rang out, but none reached us. Luffy was standing before us, in the path of the bullets. Zoro looked at him, astonished. "What are you-?!"

The pink-haired kid started crying. "Luffy-san!"

My jaw dropped, eyes going wide. "What the hell?!"

Morgan gritted his teeth, beyond angry. "Straw hat?!"

The would-be pirate raised his head and grinned, then stretched, bouncing the bullets back and laughing. "That doesn't work! I told you I was strong!"

Zoro's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, our expressions matching. "W-Who the hell are you?!"

Straw-hat looked over his shoulder, smiling and giving a thumb up. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!"

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_1. I LIVE~ yeah, I know, I haven't done anything in a while. Sorry._

_2. I found this while going through my fan fiction folder and though I should finally post it. I've had the first two chapters typed for about 4 months. _

_3.I'm not really happy with how this turned out, so I'll keep revising it. And don't worry, Akane will have more lines as the story goes on._

_4. GO READ CHAPTER TWO (and review)_


	2. Welcome to The Crew!

**Fire, Ice, And The Blade.  
****Ch. 2**

**Welcome to The Crew!**

Zoro stared at Luffy, shocked and a bit angry. "W-What?! The King of the Pirates?! Do you even know what that means?!"

Straw-hat smiled. "King of the Pirates is King of the Pirates! Are there any other meanings?"

The pinket go up off the ground, suddenly excited. "I was shocked, too! But Luffy-san is serious! That's how he is! He intends to become the King of the Pirates and obtain this world's ultimate treasure… the One Piece!"

I rolled my eyes, albeit slightly amused. "Just like every other pirate on this planet."

Luffy grinned widely, showing us all his teeth, and held out three katanas. "Here's your treasure! I couldn't tell which was yours, so I brought three of 'em."

Zoro shifted, trying to wiggle out of the ropes. "All of them. I use the Three-Sword Style."

Luffy's grin toned down to a more normal size. "You'll take 'em, right? If we fight together now, you'll be a government-defying villain. Would you prefer that, or being killed by the navy like this?"

Zoro grinned back. "What are you, the devil's son? Well, whatever. I'll be your pirate, if I'm just gonna die here instead!"

Luffy spread his arms wide and laughed. "Hurray! So you'll join my crew?! Alright! Woo-hoo! This is great! Alright!"

Zoro leaned forward, yelling and slightly panicked, what with the marines pointing guns at us. "Okay! Now untie these stupid ropes already!"

The marines' jaws were on the floor, most of them shaking. "What… is he? He flung the bullets back!"

Captain Morgan just stared at us, frowning. "He's no ordinary human, that Straw Hat… Must've eaten one of those rumored Devil Fruits!"

The marines looked at each other. "A Devil Fruit?! The hidden treasures of the sea?!"

Morgan nodded. "The Devil Fruits… Whoever eats one is said to gain seemingly unworldly abilities. The power to breath fire… The power to cause tsunamis… There are all sorts of rumors, but there are many types, and almost nothing is known about them. It's said the secrets to them lie in the Grand Line… but there's no question Straw Hat just displayed a devil power!

Luffy threw my coat at me and started yanking on the ropes. "Damn! The knots are tight!"

It landed at my feet, just out of reach. I was glad to have it back, but angry at Luffy for throwing it. Zoro yelled at him, looking at the restraints he was pulling. "Hey! Quit wastin' time!"

Morgan lowered his head, glaring at us. "No matter _who_ they are, everyone who opposes me gets executed! If guns won't work, then chop them to death!"

The marines charged, brandishing swords. Luffy rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the rope. "Huh, that's weird! It got tighter instead!"

Zoro yelled at him, angry and in immediate danger. "Give me a damn sword!"

Before anyone knew what had happened, Zoro was free, holding three unsheathed swords, and blocking the attacks of all ten marines. My left arm was still tied to the post, but the rest of me was free, so I moved and started tugging on the remaining restraints.

Luffy, who was holding pieces of rope, smiled widely. "So cool!"

Zoro looked at the marines he was holding back, speaking through the sword in his mouth. "Move and you're dead."

They started crying, not daring to disobey. "Too scary!"

I chuckled, battling with my rope while looking at them. The swordsman raised his head and looked at Luffy. "I'll be a pirate. I promise you that. I'm officially a criminal, now that I've fought the navy. But I'll tell you this right now. I'm only going to fulfill _my_ ambition!"

Luffy cocked his head to the side. "Ambition?"

Zoro stared right at him, the shadow of a cloud passing over him. "To be the world's greatest swordsman! I don't care if my name is clean or not… Bad guy, good guy, it no longer matters! As long as my name is known worldwide! If I wind up having to give that up, you'd better accept responsibility and apologize to me!"

Luffy smiled at the man, nodding. "The world's greatest swordsman? That sounds great! The King of the Pirates would need no less than that on his crew!"

Zoro snorted a laugh and grinned. "You sure talk big. At this point, whether it's as a criminal or whatever else, I _will _spread my name throughout the world!"

Morgan, who had stayed back, suddenly yelled out. "What're you standing around for?! Slaughter them this instant!"

Luffy drew his leg back, still smiling. "Duck, Zoro. Gum-Gum Whip!"

The swordsman did as told and Luffy's extending legs sent the marines flying back to their captain. The pink-haired boy stared in awe at the scene. "Y-You did it! Incredible!"

Zoro stood up, still holding a sword in his mouth. "What the hell are you?"

Luffy swung his raised legs back and forth, grinning down at it. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit."

The swordsman looked at him curiously. "Gum-Gum Fruit?"

The marines who had been knocked down stared at the would-be pirate. "A rubber person!"

_'Hm... This is getting interesting...'_

Morgan observed the exchange, not caring about the well-being of his men. "So he _does_ have devil fruit powers!"

The marines looked at him, scared and worried. "Captain! We don't stand a chance against them! These guys are crazy! We can't even handle Zoro by himself!"

Morgan looked down at them, his anger rising. "This is a direct order! Everyone who spouted weakness just now… must shoot themselves in the head! I have no need for weakling soldiers!"

Zoro got in a fighting stance again. "These troops are mental!"

Luffy suddenly ran towards them and punched the captain. Morgan blocked the hit with his axe, then threw off his coat. "Rankless, low-status bums have no right whatsoever to defy me! I am Navy Captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan!"

Luffy, quirky as ever, answered casually. "I'm Luffy! Nice to meet'cha!"

Morgan swung his axe, only to have him evade every blow. Luffy, however, kicked him square in the face and sent him flying. They both landed on all fours, and Morgan swung his axe down again. "Die!"

The boy evaded it and kicked him in the face. "No thanks!"

The marines looked at the two, astonished. "C-Captain Morgan is… being trounced completely…"

Luffy grabbed the front of the man's shirt, punching him repeatedly in the face. "And you call yourself a navy?! You've destroyed Coby's dream!"

The idiot son suddenly called out, holding a gun to the pink-haired kid's head. "Hold it, Straw Hat! Check _this_ out!"

I growled, wishing I could reach my daggers. Luffy ignored him and continued punching. Helmeppo yelled out again, angry. "I said hold it! Are you stupid?! Pay attention! I have a hostage here!"

Zoro called out a "hey" to Luffy, who was still punching the captain. The idiot son shouted again, his knees shaking. "If you value this guy's life, don't move! One move and I'll shoot!"

The pinket spoke up, a determined look on his face. "Luffy-san! I don't want to get in your way! Even if it means dying!"

Luffy grinned and started walking towards Helmeppo. "Yeah, I know! Give it up, stupid son! Coby really is ready to die!"

Helmeppo kept his gun pointed at the pinket. "Don't move! I told you not to move! I-I'll shoot!"

I suddenly shouted, eyes wide. "Behind you!"

The teen ignored me and drew his arm back. "Gum-Gum..."

Morgan had gotten up and was swinging his axe down at Luffy. "I am Navy Captain, "Axe-Hand" Morgan!"

Helmeppo pulled Coby closer to him. "Dad! Kill him, quick!"

Luffy punched, his arm stretching and hitting the idiot son in the face. "Pistol! ... Nice! Zoro."

The swordsman had cut through Morgan at the last second, saving Luffy's head. He straightened, grinning. "My pleasure, Captain."

He sheathed his swords, looking at the marines. I shook my head, relieved, and went back to tugging in the ropes. The men were staring at their ex-captain, mouths open. "Captain Morgan's been beaten! Unbelievable! These guys are insane!"

Zoro looked over them, completely calm. "If anyone else still wants to catch us, come forward!"

The marines looked at each other and threw their weapons and hats in the air, cheering. "Hurray! We're free! Yahoo! Morgan's reign is over! Hurray for the navy!"

Luffy stared at them, confused. "Huh? Everyone's happy their captain's been beaten... "

Coby's face morphed into a large, excited, smile. "Everyone was just afraid of Morgan!"

Zoro suddenly let out a pained grunt and fell backwards. My head snapped in his direction, and Coby immediately freaked out. "What's wrong, Zoro-san?! Are you hurt?!"

He opened his eyes a crack, frowning. "I'm… hungry…"

I gave a laugh and tugged on the restraints some more. They only got tighter, and my fingers were now stuck. My laugh quickly died out, replaced by frustration. Frustration gave way to anger, and I yelled at the sky. "What the hell is with this rope?! I JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE ALREADY!"

The rope and post suddenly burst into flames as my anger made the temperature rise to ridiculous levels. I growled and walked out of the fire, grabbing and putting on my coat. Luffy stared at me with a mixture of awe and excitement. "So cool!"

Zoro laughed from the ground, staring at the large flames. "Yeah… I see what you meant when you said I'd burn too."

I sighed, calming down some, and walked over to them. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

I looked over at the marines. "This won't be a problem, right?"

They shook their heads enthusiastically. Luffy jumped up and down, excited beyond reason. "You'll join our crew, right? Right? Right? You're so cool! And you're Zoro's friend, so you'll have fun!"

_'He might just make it...'_

I held my hands up, taking a step back. "Whoa, okay. Calm down, rubber man! I have one condition."

Luffy stopped hopping and looked at me with stars in his eyes. "What? What? What?"I grinned at him. "Promise we'll sail all over the Grand Line! I want to see every inch of that place!"

Luffy cheered and started jumping again. "I promise! New crew member, new crew member!

_'And I might just be loyal to someone again. It's been a while since I've had this strong a feeling.'_

I laughed and bent down, wrapping Zoro's arm around my shoulder and pulling him up with me. "Alright, I suggest we get some food in him before he dies. What do ya say, captain?"

Luffy raised a fist to the sky. "Yes! Foooood!"

I laughed and looked at the swordsman I was holding up. "Looks like you'll live another day, Zoro."

He grunted, holding his stomach. "Food first, witty comments later."

I chuckled and followed Luffy out, leaving the marines to deal with the fire, the idiot son, and their ex-captain. We made out way to the restaurant, where the little girl and her mother greeted us. Apparently, news traveled fast enough that they had already heard about us freeing them from Morgan. They thanked us over and over, until I mentioned I was holding a starving man. They then offered us free food, which we gladly accepted. I dropped Zoro in a chair, sat next to him, and Luffy plopped down in front of me, grinning wildly. "Food, food, food, foo- Oh. What's your name? I forgot to ask."

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're quite something… My name's Takuda Akane, call me Akane."

He nodded, holding a knife and fork. "How'd you set that thing on fire?"

I leaned forward, putting my arms on the table. "I ate the Temp-Temp Fruit, so I can change the temperature of things. Like this."

I pointed at his fork, making it cold enough to have little ice crystals form, then at his knife, making the tip hot enough to melt. He dropped it as it got too hot, a big grin on his face. "That's so cool! Does that mean you don't have to wear coats in the winter?"

I raised an eyebrow at my captain. "Coats? I don't have to wear clothes unless I want to!"

Zoro laughed and took off his bandana, tying it around his arm. "Sounds interesting! That I'll have to see"

I grinned and pulled my mask down, revealing my mouth and nose, then leaned back into my chair. "And I can wear a black fur coat in the middle of the desert and not be bothered."

He ran a hand through his bright green hair, grinning back. "That's pretty cool. But not as interesting."

The little girl came back with drinks and her mother with several plates of food. I smiled as she handed me a mug. "Thanks. Say, I never got your name."

She smiled back and put Luffy's orange juice on the table. "My name's Rita. Thank you for helping me!"

I smiled and ruffled her hair. I only ate one plate, since I had a proper meal not too long ago. Zoro downed 5, and Luffy was uncountable. Zoro leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach happily. "I'm stuffed! I was definitely at my rope's end, not having eaten for over a week!"

We all laughed, and Luffy pulled the fork out of his mouth with a "pong". "Huh? You're finished already?"

Zoro pointed at a pile of empty plates, raising an eyebrow. "How the heck can you have a bigger appetite than me?"

Luffy shrugged, taking another mouthful of food. "It tastes good! Right, Coby?"

He pinket rubbed the back of his head, looking at Rita's mother. "Thank you for treating me to food, too…"

The woman smiled, doing the dishes. "It's no problem! The town _has_ been saved, after all!"

Rita looked at Luffy, smiling widely. "You really are amazing!"

Luffy smiled back, his cheeks filled with food. "Yep, I am! And I'm gonna be even more amazing! 'Cause I'm gonna be King of the Pirates! And I even have a crew!"

Zoro leaned back, putting his right arm over the back of his chair. "So, how many others have you gathered besides us?"

Luffy shoved a large chunk of fish in his mouth, looking up from his plate. Zoro put his other hand on his knee, looking at our captain. "You said you were in the middle of gathering a crew. To be King of The Pirates, you must have a good number gathered."

Luffy held up his fork, chewing. "Just you two."

Zoro's eyes went wide in shock. "Huh?! Then…"

He pointed at the three of us, his mouth open. Luffy smiled happily, his mouth finally empty. "Yep! Just us three!"

Zoro stared at him in disbelief. "We're gonna call just us three a pirate crew?!"

Luffy blinked, not getting it. "What's wrong with that? We _are_ strong!"

I sipped my drink and added a content "and awesome". Zoro took his arm off of the back of his chair and put it on the table, leaning on it. "What about a ship? Where's your pirate ship?"

Luffy pointed out the window with a piece of fish on his fork. "There."

Zoro and I stared out the window at a small boat docked in the port. "_That?_"

Luffy made wild hand motions, smiling widely. "We'll have a ship _this_ big before long!"

Zoro burst out laughing, putting a hand and on his hip. "And how's that?!"

Luffy looked at him, still smiling. "And I'd like a pirate flag, too!"

He shoved more fish in his mouth. "Yeah! Yeah, yeah! So cool!"

Coby gave us an apologetic smile. "I think Luffy-san was born without any sense of planning."

Zoro put his elbow on the windowsill and two finger on his forehead, grimacing. "Did I really make this guy my captain?!"

I patted his arm, leaning against the wall. "I'm in the same boat as you. Literally. At least we have you as a first mate."

Luffy laughed, completely ignoring us. "Well, we'll get more crew members before long!"

Rita smiled at our captain. "Hey, hey! Where are you guys gonna go to now?"

Luffy smiled back, swallowing his mouthful. "Isn't it obvious?! The Grand Line!"

Coby heard this and promptly spat out his orange juice. "You still only have three members! There's no way you can go there! No way! No way! No way!"

Rita looked at him curiously, her smile gone. "Is the Grand Line that terrible of a place?"

Coby clutched his glass and stared down in it. "Naturally! You know this world has two oceans, right? And the giant continent that cuts them in two is the Red Line. Supposedly, there's a town right in the middle of the Red Line, and the Grand Line goes through it at a right angle… and stretches around the world. I was said that Gold Roger, King of the Pirates, once obtained everything this world had to offer, and before he died, he said he left the great One Piece treasure there, so pirates everywhere have since set sail for the Grand Line! It's now an intense battlefield, and even called a pirate graveyard!"

Rita's mother looked at us worriedly. "I've heard from patrons before… that whoever enters the Grand Line never comes out alive…"

Luffy turned around, putting an arm on the back of his chair. "But the One Piece is somewhere there, so we're going there!

Zoro sat down in my chair, putting an arm over the back again. "Guess it can't be helped!"

Coby jumped out of his seat, leaving his glass on the counter. "Not you too, Zoro-san?!"

Zoro shrugged nonchalantly. "Why does it matter? You're not going, are you?"

I shrugged too, crossing my arms. "He's got a point."

Coby drew has arms in, starting to cry. "N-No, but I'm worried about you! Is that so wrong?! Luffy-san and I haven't known each other long, but we are friends. Right?"

Our captain grinned widely at the pink-haired boy. "Yeah! We're gonna part ways, but we'll always be friends!"

Coby smiled sadly, his arms at his sides. "Since I was a little kid, I've never had friends… Much less anyone who would fight for my sake… But more than anything, I never tried to fight for anything…"

He looked up, smiling with determination. "But you three taught me how to live for my beliefs! I've decided to make my childhood dream come true! I want to join the navy!"

Zoro cocked his head to the side. "Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself, then? Even if you were just a chore boy, you _did_ spend two years on Alvida's pirate ship. Don't underestimate the navy's info-gathering skills. If they find out about that, you'll never get to join. "

Coby's determined look dropped almost instantly. "N-Now that you mention it…"

A navy Lieutenant opening the restaurant door and walking in interrupted him. "Pardon me! Is it true that you are pirates?!"

Luffy looked at them, smiling. "Yeah. We gained two members and became a pirate group just now!"

The lieutenant looked down, his hat casting shadows on his face. "We appreciate that you saved our base and this town from that tyrant! However, now that we know you are pirates, in the name of the navy, we cannot stand by quietly! You will leave this town at once! Out of obligation, we will refrain from contacting headquarters."

Several of the citizens pointed at him, objecting. "Hey, navy guy! How can you talk like that?! Even you guys were subdued and terrified of Morgan! We owe these people our lives! Yeah! Yeah!"

Luffy smiled, standing up. "Well, guess we should go! Thanks for the food, lady!"

Rita looked at us, saddened. "You guys are leaving already?"

Luffy nodded, hoisting a bag of food over his shoulder. "Yeah."

We walked towards the exit, leaving Coby and Rita behind. The marine looked at Coby suspiciously. "Aren't you part of their crew? Straw-Hat said he gained two new members."

I scowled at the man as I passed him. "I'm the second member, dumbass."

We were about to step out the door when he stopped us. "Hold it. Well? Is he?!"

Luffy looked back, smiling again. "I know what he's done until now. There was this _really_ fat pirate lady, I think her name was Ahiruda."

Coby called out to him, shaking. Our captain walked over to him, still smiling. "And she had this iron club. Man, she was an ugly hag! And for two whole years, this guy was her-"

Coby cut him off with a punch, making Zoro and I smirk. Luffy drew his arm back, readying a punch. "Now you've done it, you bastard! Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!"

He punctuated each "damn you" with a punch and proceeded to be the crap out of the smaller boy. The marine took a step forward, holding up a fist. "Stop that! We won't allow you to cause any more trouble in this town!"

Zoro grabbed Luffy by the back of his shirt, pulling him back. "Hey! You've gone too far. That's enough."

Coby fell back, panting. The marine pointed at him, frowning. "It's very clear that you guys aren't crewmates! Now leave this town at once!"

We stepped out, Zoro smirking a grin at the marines. "Come on! Didn't you want to arrest me?!"

I chuckled and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Zoro, stop harassing those poor little marines. I think we already scarred them mentally."

He burst out laughing, putting a hand to his stomach. "This pirate thing might not be so bad after all! Well, as long as you don't leave me to deal with our scatter-brain'ed leader alone."

I joined him in laughter, red and blue hair falling to cover most of my eyes. Luffy put his straw hat back on and walked off, past the marines, past the citizens, and out to the port. Zoro walked between him and me, grinning. "Hey Luffy, that was a pretty lame act. Wouldn't be shocked if they saw through it."

The teen chuckled, his usual smile in place. "Coby'll handle the rest on his own now. I just know it."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's a nice way to leave, though. Being unable to turn back 'cause everyone hates you- it's pirate-like!"

I grinned at them, a hand on my hip. "Even better, being chased out by marines!"

Luffy laughed, untying the boat. "That's true!"

A familiar voice caught our attention. "Luffy-san!"

We turned to see Rita, her mother, and Coby on the dock. The pinket saluted us, standing proudly. "Thank you! I'll never forget all you've done for me!"

Zoro grinned at him, putting a hand on his hip as well. "I've _never_ heard of a pirate being thanked by a marine…"

I grinned too, hopping onto the boat. "That's one for the history books!"

Zoro followed, sitting down, and Luffy after that. I unfurled the sail, sitting across from Zoro. Luffy spread his arms out, waving. "Let's meet again sometime, Coby!"

Rita waved back happily. Then the marines arrived, standing behind Coby. "All hands, salute!"

Luffy's smile widened, still waving. "See ya!

I chuckled, leaning against the side of the boat. "Told ya it was one for the history books."

Luffy put a hand on his hat as we sailed away, the wind catching it. "Alright, our pirate crew finally sets sail! Looks like some pretty good adventures'll be waiting for us. I _will_ be King of the Pirates."

Zoro raised an eyebrow, the wind playing with the opening of his shirt. "You really seem obsessed about this King of the Pirates thing. Is there some sorta reason for it?"

Luffy looked at the horizon. "No reason. It's just…"

Zoro urged him on. "It's just?"

Luffy broke out in a trademark smile. "I swore to a certain man that… someday I would gather a great crew, find the world's greatest treasure, and become King of the Pirates! This straw hat knows!"

Zoro smiled, looking at me, then at the sunset. "I see."

Luffy spread his arms wide again, his hands curling into fists. "Alright! Let's go! Set sail for the Grand Line!"

I grinned, running a hand through my bi-colored hair. "Aye, aye, captain!"

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_1. Lucky you. Since I just posted Ch.1, I have almost nothing to put in A/Ns._

_2. As you may have noticed, one episode = one chapter. This means Akane will have more lines starting next chapter, since the last two were very Zoro-centered. YAY SCREEN TIME._

_3. I'm using the subbed anime and the manga, but both have several different translations. I try to take the ones that make sense, but some of them fit even when translated wrong. Thus, I apologize for any lines that may be incorrect, and will change them if you give me the correct ones._

_4. We get to find out more shtuff about our protagonist next chapter~ Thanks for reading, please review :)_


	3. LET'S EAT THAT BIRD

**Fire, Ice, And The Blade  
****Ch. 3**

**LET'S EAT THAT BIRD**

Several hours had passed, and we were all bored. Lounging and napping could only go so far. Luffy, who was dangling his arms out of the boat, groaned. "I'm hungry…"

Zoro sighed in return, still sitting with one arm on the edge. "When will we reach land…?"

Luffy shrugged, looking at the water below him. "Who knows… We go where the wind and sea take us. Will we reach land? Well, I'm sure we will… someday…"

Zoro frowned, his voice suddenly angry. "Isn't is strange that you want to become the Pirate King, and yet you don't have any navigation skills?"

Luffy looked over his shoulder, eyebrows bent up. "It's not strange, I just drift in the sea. You too… aren't you a pirate hunter of the sea?"

Zoro let his head fall back with a sigh, staring at the sluggish clouds above us. "I don't recall ever being a pirate hunter. I went out to see looking for a man, but I got lost and couldn't return to my village. I had no choice but to hunt pirates for the reward."

Luffy looked back at the water blankly. "What, so you were just lost."

Zoro stomped his foot in anger, rocking to boat. "DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT!"

The boat's movement threw us all into the air, Luffy's hat flying off. He watched it roll on the sail, his eyes going unfocused. "Shanks…"

I stabilized the boat as both men went to the other side of the sail, following Straw Hat's straw hat. Zoro reached past the boat's edge and caught the tip of it, bringing it back onboard and handing it to the other male. Our captain took it and sat down, lost in thoughts. I sighed and plopped back down as well, adjusting my coat. "We need a bigger boat."

The swordsman sat back in front of me, nodding, "Yeah. So, how'd _you_ get here?"

I shrugged, crossing my legs. "I'm playing hide-and-seek."

He raised an eyebrow, putting an arm on the edge again. "Hide-and-seek?"

I nodded, a small lopsided smile on my face. "Yep. It started… Eight years ago, I think, in one of the islands of North Blue."

Zoro blinked at me, confused and disbelieving. "Eight years ago? How can one game take so much time? And what does that have to do with being out at sea?"

I chuckled and leaned forward. "Simple. My father has always played this game with me. First, I'd have to find him in a room, then a house, then a town, then the neighboring towns, then the island, then the neighboring island, and bigger and bigger, until he one day told me he was going to hide somewhere on the grand line. I spent the first few months training, then got myself a small boat- kinda like this one actually- and set out."

Zoro narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side. "That still doesn't explain how you got here, in East Blue. You would've had to cross the Red Line."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, I was kinda captured by pirates, then rescued by marines, then became a pirate hunter so they'd take me towards the grand line, then joined the pirates I was hunting to get farther, then joined the marines trying to capture them, and so on and so forth. At one point I allied with bandits in exchange for their boat and took them across. I don't remember much about them, other than I lost half of them in the mountains… Anyway, now that Straw-Hat made a promise to take me to the Grand Line, and seeing he has devil fruit powers and a badass first mate, I don't thing I'll need to betray anyone."

Zoro looked at me skeptically, making me roll my eyes and sigh. "Oh come on. If I were planning to backstab someone, I would've allied with the marines. They'd be the safer bet. I never really liked them… And besides, if I were to betray you, you could literally push me into the water and I'd be at your mercy."

The swordsman shrugged and leaned forward on his elbows. "Yeah, I guess. So, what's the deal with your devil fruit? How'd you get it?"

I stiffened, my mouth and throat going numb.

_It's dark. My throat hurts. _

'_Swallow it!'_

_I don't want to. It tastes bad. It's chocking me._

'_SWALLOW IT!'_

_Hot tears. I feel funny._

'_What'd it do?'_

'_I dunno. Maybe it's in her blood. Hm. I guess not. It's not any kind of armor either. Maybe it was the weak-weak fruit!'_

_Laughter. My back burns. It's dripping sticky liquid onto the floor. They're gone now. I want to get out of here. I want to find him. I want to find him so we can go home._

"Akane? You okay?"

I jumped, laughing awkwardly. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I got it within the first year, when I was captured."

He leaned back, his frown disappearing. "What's it do? I mean, you already told us, but what can you do with it?"

I put a finger to my chin, looking up at the sky. "Well it's a Paramecia type… It's like the Heat-Heat fruit, except it works with cold too. I can make hot blasts of air, cool moisture in the air to make ice shields or freeze thing to people and vice-versa, and I could probably create winds and rain by changing the temperature of the air, but I really don't know anything about that… And I can heat or cool parts of my body to lessen the impact of a hit or increase the power of my attack. Honestly, I really haven't explored it much."

We stayed in silence for a few seconds, during which I adjusted and fiddled with my coat's sleeves. Zoro pointed at it, raising an eyebrow. "You seem to be very… protective of that thing. Is it special or somethin'?"

I smiled a bit, fingering one of the silver buttons. "Yeah… My father left it for me before he left. He said to take it with me to the Grand Line, so I wouldn't be cold. It's kind of like a treasure. What about you? What's with your swords?"

He reached over and pulled his katanas to him. "The two black ones aren't anything much, but I've had them since I left my dojo. The white one… Ah… It was my friend's…"

I decided not to ask any more and looked over at Luffy. He was still staring into the bottom of his hat. "Looks like he has a trinket of his own."

Zoro turned to our captain, his three swords leaning on his shoulder. "Hey, if you keep spacing out, you'll drop it again. It's very important, right?"

Luffy pulled the hat down on his head, grinning. "Yeah. Thank you, Zoro."

The green-haired man tilted his head back, an arm on the railing. "I'm hungry!"

I chuckled, but was cut short by and angry growl from my own stomach. I covered it with both hands, but not before we all burst out laughing. Luffy looked up a few seconds late, drawing our attention to some kind of seagull overhead. Zoro looked at it longingly. "A bird, eh…"

Luffy looked back at us, grinning wildly. "Let's eat… that bird!"

Our first mate looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Huh? How?"

Our captain stood up, and grabbed to horizontal bar of the mast. "Leave it to me! Gum Gum… Rocket!"

We watched him launch himself straight up, not even surprised. "I see…"

The pink bird turned out to be a lot bigger than planned, and caught Luffy in its beak. "Waaah! HELP ME!"

Zoro grabbed the oars and started paddling furiously, following the bird. "You dumbass! What are you doing?!"

I moved to the end of the boat and heated the water, adding extra propulsion. "Don't worry Luffy, we'll get you back!"

Three men were in the water ahead of us, right in our path. One of them waved his arms wildly, splashing around. "Hey! Please stop! You guys on the boat, stop!"

Zoro looked over his shoulder at them, keeping his rowing in rhythm. "Castaways… at a time like this... I'm not stopping the boat, just jump on!"

They all managed to grab the edge and pull themselves in as we passed them, not slowing down in the least. Zoro chuckled, still looking behind him. "You actually got on."

The three yelled simultaneously, standing up. "Are you trying to kill us?!"

The one with a hat pulled out a long dagger, pointing it at Zoro. "Hey, stop this boat. We're the crew of Buggy The Clown. We're taking over this ship."

Both Zoro and I glared at them, pausing our respective activities. "Huh?"

I stood up behind them, heating up my fist. "I'd hardly call this a ship… What do you say Zoro?"

Zoro stood up, cracking his knuckles. "It's more of a dinghy… And these assholes are trying to take it over. Akane, ladies first."

Five seconds later, the three men were rowing in Zoro's place, and we were both lounging at the back of the boat. The one with the hat, who had pulled out the knife, wrung his hands together. "Who would've thought that you were the famous pirate hunter, Zoro, and his ally! Please forgive us!"

Zoro glared at them while I searched the sky for the giant bird. "Because of you, we lost track of our friend. Anyway, just keep rowing straight."

The swordsman joined me in my sky-searching. "That Luffy should be able to take care of himself if he gets on land."

I sighed and let my head droop forward. "I wouldn't be too sure."

Our would-be captives started mumbling among themselves about "Captain Buggy". Their chitchat caught both of our attentions and we turned to them. "Who's this Buggy you keep talking about?"

The three men stared at us, dumbfounded. "You don't know anything about Buggy The Clown?"

Zoro and I shook our heads. "Never heard of him."

The hatted man leaned forward, casting shadows on his face. "He's the captain of our pirate gang. With the strength of the devil's fruit, he is one of a kind. In any case, he is a very fearsome man."

I cocked my head to the side, one arm on my knee, the other on the boat's edge. "Heh? One of a kind? But both our friend and I have devil fruit powers too… I guess his must be special or something…"

The three stiffened and started rowing faster, whispering something about a "scary bunch of freaks".

The swordsman and I grinned at each other, impatient to get to land.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_1. I know this one is kinda short, but I posted TWO chapters just a few days ago. Hope you like it anyway :) Oh, and if you have any ideas for a new summary, I'll take them._

_2. Hey, look at that, angsty back-story. Don't worry, Akane isn't going to be one of those Mary-Sues who constantly feels the need to cry over her past. (*spoiler*) This is just so I have something to work with when she swaps backstories with Zoro. I don't think he'd tell her about Kuina and the whole promise thing unless she gave something first. (*spoiler over*) Short flashbacks will appear from time to time to explain some things, but other than that you won't see her past much._

_3. We had a whole big reveal of where she's from, why's she's doing this, what she's been up to before this story, and information about about her devil fruit powers. And what do I do? I name the chapter after one of Luffy's lines, that has nothing to do with the new information._

_4. Alright, I'm done now, go read the next chapter if it's out or something else *coughLikeOneOfMyOtherStories cough* if it's not. And don't forget to **REVIEW**!_


	4. Buggy Bugs Me

**Fire, Ice, And The Blade  
****Ch. 4**

**Buggy Bugs Me**

About 10 minutes later, we reached a small port at the edge of a village. Zoro threw the rope and tied it, then hopped onto the dock. "Aaah… Firm land…"

I stepped out of the boat and stretched. "And where's a village, there's food."

We looked at each other, stomachs growling. "Yeah… Food…"

We were about to walk into the town when a loud explosion rang through the streets. Zoro and I looked at each other, frowning at sound. "What was that?"

The three men behind us broke out in cold sweat. "It's one of Buggy-sama's Buggy Balls!"

Zoro smirked. "Buggy Balls?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That's probably the least threatening name for a weapon I've ever heard…"

The men shook their heads frantically. "NO! It can wipe out an entire village in one shot! Don't ever get in front of it!"

I whistled and looked back at Zoro. "Well, seeing how dangerous it is, I'd say there's a good chance our captain is there. He seems to be a magnet for this kinds thing."

He nodded, looking grim. "Yeah. Let's go."

We ran towards it, leaving the three pirates behind. We followed the wreckage of several houses, and headed for to top of the Drinker's Pub; where the shot had come from. We were halfway up the stairs when a girl's scream rose above the noise. When we finally reached the top, three things became clear. One: our captain was in a cage. Two: the scream belonged to the orange-haired girl crouched by the cannon. And three: she about to die. I ran to Luffy, and Zoro ran to the girl. He stopped the attacking pirates with the flat part of his sheaths, all four men running into them. "Hey, hey. All these people picking on just one girl?"

Luffy grinned at us. "Akane! Zoro!"

The girl looked over her shoulder, a half-scared frown on her face. Zoro set his right sword on his shoulder, looking over it. "Injured?"

She made a sound, standing up. Our first mate narrowed his eye, speaking slower this time. "Are you injured?"

The girl shook her head, shocked. "Huh? Ah, no. I'm fine."

Luffy sighed deeply, still grinning. "Yaaa, thank goodness! You were actually able to find this place. Hurry up and get me out of here."

Zoro looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What on earth are you doing? First a bird takes you away, and now you're in a cage?"

Luffy shrugged, drawing my attention to the rope tying his arms. "It's an interesting story, actually."

I sighed and reached through the bars to untie the knots. "How can you be so nonchalant about this?"

The teen turned his head towards me, frowning. "Noncha-what?"

I started slipping off the rope, shaking my head sadly. "Nevermind…"

Behind Zoro, one of the Buggy pirates started talking. "Zoro! Zo…"

His crewmate, who was wearing a ridiculous cat hat, turned towards him. "That's what he called him, right?"

The girl watched our swordsman walk past her, staring in disbelief. "What's going on?"

Buggy suddenly spoke, drawing my attention. "Akane, eh? I recognized the hair. I haven't seen you since… Well, our last bout with the marines. Have you come to join my crew?"

I turned to him, looking out from under my hair. "Really? I don't remember- Oh wait, that was you? I never got your name... Well, your crew sure has grown. But no thanks; I've already got a captain of my own. Besides, would you really want a renowned back-stabber on your ship?"

He shrugged, cocking his head to the side. "Fair enough. And you there, the green-haired annoyance. You're Zoro. What do you want? Did you come for my head?"

Zoro closed his eyes, frowning as usual. "Nope, not interested. I quit being a pirate hunter."

Buggy raised his head, a painted grin on his face. "But I am. If I kill you, I'll become even more famous."

Zoro looked back at him, opening his eyes again. "Don't do it, you'll die."

The clown whipped out two long daggers, spinning them in his fingers. "Eh? Okay."

'_Hey! That's my trick!'_

The swordsman sighed deeply. "I guess words can't make him understand."

The crew started cheering, punching the air. "Whoo! Take him down, Captain. Captain Buggy! Buggy! Buggy! Buggy!"

Said Captain licked one of his blades, grinning widely. Zoro unsheathed his swords and got into position, unphased by the cheers. The clown immediately charged, laughing crazily. "Time for you to die!"

Our first mate sliced through him neatly, not moving an inch. "No reaction at all…"

I frowned at the severed body, pulling the last of the rope off of my captain.

'_It shouldn't have been that easy… From what I remember, he put up decent fight… What's going on here?'_

Luffy's jaw dropped in surprise. "This guy is really weak!"

The orange-haired girl stared at the enemy captain's body in horror. "No way."

The crew started chuckling darkly, looking at the man who had just diced their leader. My frown deepened as I turned to face them.

'_There was something about him… God, why can't I remember? They wouldn't be laughing if he were dead. Buggy, what are you hiding from us?'_

Zoro frowned at his victim, sheathing his swords. "He died really easily… _Too_ easily…"

Luffy grabbed the bars in front of him, squishing his face to them. "Hey, Zoro! Help Akane get me out of here!"

I shook my head clear of Buggy-related worries and looked at the approaching swordsman. "The door won't open without a key. Can you slice it open?"

He shook his head, inspecting the metal. "Not through iron… I'm not strong enough yet. What about you? Couldn't you just melt them or something?"

I shook my head too, although more bitterly. "No. Metal conducts heat better than anything. I don't have enough control and would probably end up burning him. God, this is pathetic… Three of the strongest pirates in East Blue, and we can't get past a measly iron cage…"

The enemy crew's chuckling turned to laughter, bringing back my doubts. Zoro turned towards them, his voice somewhere between questioning and angry. "What's so funny? Just give us the key. I don't want to fight you guys."

Luffy leaned forward, watching them with interest. "They're pretty weird…"

I shook my head angrily, frowning again. "No. They know something. I-"

A dagger whizzing past me and towards Zoro, cut me off. I gave him a hard shove, knowing full well it wouldn't be enough. The swordsman fell to his knees, the dagger piercing through his side. Buggy's crew erupted in hysterics as Luffy watched his first mate's face contort in pain, eyes going wide. "Zoro!"

The girl yelled, looking just as concerned. "What's with that hand?"

I gritted my teeth and pulled out the knife, gripping the hand attached to it. "Why didn't I see it sooner? Buggy the Clown. The man who ate the Cut-Cut Fruit."

Zoro turned, staring at the object in my hand. "What the hell is that?!"

Buggy re-assembled, laughing again. "Right you are! I can't be killed by a sword… I'm a splitting man!"

Luffy stared in awe. "Splitting man… Is he a monster?"

I snorted a laugh despite the situation. "Said the rubber man to the temp girl…"

The clown paused his laugh long enough to speak. "Although it's not critical, thanks to your precious girl there, the wound is still pretty serious. This fight is over."

He then resumed laughing, his crew taking over. "The captain has won! Buggy! Buggy! Buggy!"

Zoro forced out a sentence, sweat beading on his forehead. "The situation isn't looking too good."

I nodded and tossed the hand at its owner, then put an arm underneath my companion's to pull him up. "I know. We have to get out of here, and fast."

Luffy shouted from his cage, his face against the bars again. "Attacking from behind is cowardly, BIG RED NOSE!"

'_Luffy you moron.'_

All noise suddenly stopped, except for Buggy's rage-filled speech. "Who… has… a… big red nose?!"

He threw a dagger at Luffy, hitting his target with perfect accuracy. Zoro and I shouted out, fearing for our idiot captain's safety. The latter called out to his attacker, his tone light and almost mocking through the knife in his teeth. "Buggy! I will kick the crap out of you!"

Buggy and his crew burst out laughing as our captain snapped the blade in his teeth. "Kick my ass? You're dreaming! All four of you are going to die today! Now how should I finish you guys off?"

Luffy burst out laughing too, cutting them off. "I'm not gonna die! Run, you guys!"

Zoro raised an eyebrow at him, putting more pressure on his wound. "What?!"

The girl piped up as well. "He's telling the guy who came to rescue him to run away! What about you?"

Luffy just hummed in response. Zoro and I grinned, getting the message. "Roger."

I let go and jumped out of the way as Buggy lunged at us, trusting Zoro to hold his own. I got under the canon, pushing the barrel upwards, as Zoro sliced through Buggy again and ran to join me. We flipped the canon over, the Buggy Ball now pointed at its makers. Zoro collapsed and glared at the girl next to us, holding his wound again. "Hey, light it! Hurry!"

She nodded and immediately struck a match, making Buggy scream his protests. "Ahhh, wait, wait wait wait! The Buggy Ball is still in there! You lit it! Ahh, wait! Hey, stop! Stop it! Stop it!"

The canon then fired into the enemy crowd.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_1. *crying* I'm sooo sorry you guys! I got crushed by a sudden shit-ton of schoolwork and other stuff... I'll try to update more often from now on, please don't kill me. But thank you for not forgetting about me :')_

_2. I'm not sure if I said it in previous A/Ns, but I'm using subbed, online manga, and a bit of dubbed; so you'll have to forgive inadequate translations. If there's something you'd like me to fix, let me know in reviews and I will._

_3. I have nothing else to say right now so..._ **_REVIEW_**********


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